Country of Spiderwick
by Shader-san
Summary: Syaoran and company find themselves guests of the Spiderwick Estate and in the company of none other than Arthur Spiderwick himself! But what dangers will come with their newly aquired knowledge of the Guide, and could a feather be involved in all this?
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: All characters presented here belong to their respective owners, I do not own them in any way, shape, or form, only in the content of the story to I display meager interpretation of my own creation.

I've had this up on DA for a while, and I've gotten over the distaste of what happened with my first fic here. So here we go!

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In the middle of a vast forest , the sky began to fall. It dipped downward onto the moist ground like a glob of molasses from a wooden spoon. When the convection finally touched down, it exploded outward, abandoning four people amidst the misty landscape.

"Hmm... nothing to greet us? No dancing women? No vicious monsters? Not even a single strange machine?" Kurogane huffed as the group got their first look at the new world. He tucked his black cape around him more tightly in an effort to keep out the sudden cold.

"Disappointed about the lack of girls, eh?" Fai said, sliding up and poking Kurogane in the ribs with his elbow.

"That is _NOT _what I meant!" Kurogane said between gritted teeth. His hands tightened on his sword and Fai took a few pseudo-frightened steps backward.

"It does seem different, though, doesn't it?" Syaoran said, looking around. "It's probably a place that doesn't get very many travelers like us..."

In the distance, a tiny wavering light bobbed about in the darkness. Other than that, the only light came from a single full moon above their heads. They saw no other signs of life, just the echoing calls of many crickets to keep them company.

"It kind of reminds me of Jade, without the snow..." Syaoran said. He turned to Sakura. "Doesn't it, Princess?"

"I suppose..." Sakura said, staring mostly off into the expanse of trees to her left. She kept her hands lightly wrapped around Syaoran's wrist. She looked to Syaoran and smiled nervously. "I'm sorry, my memories of that place seem to be a little hazy."

"Then we should hope this land holds another of your feathers, Sakura-chan," Fai said, his famed smile forcing his eyes shut. He turned his head to the little white blob on Kurogane's shoulder.

" Got anything yet, Mokona?"

"Mokona's sense are a little muddled…" Mokona said, bobbing his head like a charmed snake, "But Mokona senses something strange in the air! It's kind of like feeling around Yuuko's house…"

"Well, that's no surprise, seeing who your previous owner was." Fai said, folding his arms as he glanced around.

"No, but it's stronger here… Much stronger…" Mokona said, stopping his bobbing almost immediately. Then, with a triumphant look, Mokona leap onto Fai's shoulder

"I know what it is! The Invisible World! Mokona is sure!" The tiny creature exclaimed loudly. All of the present company, Fai excluded, were staring at Mokona as if he'd just sprouted a massive horn out of the back on his head.

"A world… that's invisible?" Sakura said slowly as she looked around. This world looked plainly visible to her. She didn't understand.

"How is that possible, we can see things around us now, what do you mean invisible?" Syaoran added, trying to wrap his mind around this unusual information.

"What?" Kurogane asked bluntly. He never really understood all this magic, nor did he make a point to do so whenever the 'white pork bun' started going on about it.

"I think you all have misunderstood our little friend here." Fai said, waving his hand passively as he chuckled, "What Mokona means by the Invisible World is that the inhabitants of this world are invisible to us. We can't see them because of their unique magic. For all we know, we could be surround by these inhabitants and not know it."

"Really?" Sakura asked, almost tingling with excitement. Perhaps a place so seeped in magic would know of something to do with her feather. But then again, she could not see them...

"How do you know so much about this Invisible World?" Syaoran asked curiously.

"There is such a thing in the books from the dimensionI come from. So we are lucky. Should any of the inhabitants of this world come to peek out of curiosity, I will be able to see them because I have the Sight."

"So our security depends on _you_?" Kurogane asked, sounding almost disgusted, "Great."

"Not exactly, Kuro-rin…" Fai teased. Kurogane's patience was wearing very thin, (As if it wasn't wafer thin already) and Fai could see these nicknames were pushing him far. That didn't mean he was going to stop it any time soon.

"Why don't we make a camp first, and I will explain more?" Fai said, his hands poised jauntily on his hips," I suggest we find an open place if we're to make a fire, the inhabitants would like it better that way."

"They would?" Sakura added shyly, "Why?"

"Because…" Fai said, taking a flower from a low tree branch, "This is their home, their sanctuary, this place is like their precious person, and I for one am sure they would not be so happy to cooperate with us if we were to accidentally burn any part of it."

Sakura took the small flower gently and looked at it, marveling at its small, intricate patterns. She could understand immediately why this place was so cherished. She would feel the same way if she lived here.

"_Tis new arrivals, four - no five! Will they battle the monster and come out alive?"_

Sakura turned suddenly, her jade colored eyes danced about as she searched the darkness for the voice she'd just heard. Fai looked around as well. It seemed he, Mokona, and Sakura had the sight needed to interact with the creatures of this odd world. However, it seemed even Syaoran and Kurogane had heard it as well, none of the group looked happy.

"I thought only those with the Sight could interact with these creatures. I know I heard that…" Syaoran said, keeping Sakura behind him. Other than is magically lit sword, Hien, Syaoran knew he possessed no other magic of his own. One could assume the same for Kurogane.

"Never mind that, let's just go on ahead and find a place to make camp for now, I'll explain then. It's too much to mention now." Fai said, taking a step to lead the way. The others began to follow with quick steps, even Mokona was now hiding in Kurogane's high collar as they moved. Syaoran was careful to keep the Princess close as they walked, but she continued to look behind them.

"Quickly, Princess." he said gently as they quickened their pace. He could only hope they found shelter soon.

"Syaoran-kun… you're cloak…" She said slowly as she looked a the olive colored fabric.

"What about it?"

"The color." She said quietly, "You should take it off. They don't like people like us wearing that color."

"It'll have to wait…"He replied. As of now his attention was focused on trying to find a safe place. He didn't like being in such a dark area and exposed from nearly all angles. It was hard to foretell any danger. Sakura shared in his concern now since Syaoran would not remove his cloak. She was afraid of him making the beings here angry, since they seemed to hate a human wearing the color they claimed to own. Yet how she knew this she was not all entirely sure. Something here, like the many places they had been too, spoke to her.

It wasn't long before they came across a small two-storied country house. It had a wide yard off to the side. After some quick scouting from Kurogane, they found it to be empty, which made it was a suitable place for them to say for now. Hopefully, these beings wouldn't have a problem with them staying in the house either. All of them were growing very tired it would only be a matter of time before Kurogane might loose his temper with these unseen beings and their rules.

They found the house to be completely devoid of any furniture aside from some curtains and a few wooden boxes full of packing straw. Thanks to their time spent in the Cat's Eye Café, Syaoran was able to find and recognize a wide fireplace set in one of the largest rooms of the house. After fishing some old, dried logs form the pile outside, they had a nice fire crackling to keep them warm for the night. But all of them had things touching on the corners of their mind as they tried to fall asleep. Most immediate was what they'd heard upon their arrival. What was this monster? Would they really have to fight it? Did it have anything to do with the Princess's feather? However, one questioned weighed heavily on Syaoran's mind at the moment more than anything else.

When the time came, would he be able to see it?

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Reviews are duely appreciated and will be used to paper my wall!


	2. Chapter 2

Syaoran was jolted awake by the sound of someone banging against the walls. It was so long and strong that tiny bits of plaster were beginning to flake and fall form the ceiling. Even Fai, in his white coat, was beginning to look like he'd been dusted with snow.

"What's going?!" He asked immediately as he sat up. By some odd luck Sakura had managed to remain asleep. Then again, she was the heaviest sleeper out of all of them.

"It appears Kuro-run has had a close encounter with one of the inhabitants of the Invisible World." Fai replied, a wide smile on his face as Kurogane darted past the entrance-way to the living room, "Whomever he has encountered has stolen his favorite red headband. The one with the crescent moon marked on it." 

Syaoran relaxed a bit more after that. For a moment he thought they were under some kind of attack. He reached up to scratch the back of his neck when he realized something of his was missing.

"My goggles!" He exclaimed, looking around the floor in case he'd dropped them, "They're gone!"

"Probably something else these little people have 'borrowed' from us." Fai added, "They also borrowed a wing off of Sakura and Mokona's costumes."

True to his words, Syaoran could see that one of the wings from Sakura's Dragonfly racing costume was gone. Mokona was, at the moment, hanging onto Kurogane's collar and laughing wildly as the Shinobi charged about after something that the boy could not see.

Kurogane continued his wild chase for sometime. His escapades took him even onto the second floor of the house. Yet every time he passed the living room doorway, Syaoran could not see what he was chasing.

"What is he after?" The boy finally asked. It seemed to still be very early in the day, so they were resting before going out to explore the area for other people.

Fai smiled more broadly as he folded his arms behind his head. His feet were propped up on one of the wooden boxes.

"Ah, I forgot to explain, didn't I?" He said, blowing away a bit of plaster that had fallen onto the tip of his nose with a quick puff, "Where should I begin?"

"The Sight." Syaoran answered immediately, "What exactly is it? How is it that I heard something last night, but I can't see what Kurogane's chasing?"

"A good question." Fair began, "At first I couldn't have told you that. I wasn't sure how myself. As far as I could tell, neither you nor Kuro-run could see these creatures. Seeing that you both lack magic in many ways. Then it dawned on me: Mokona and Sakura! They were the reason you could interact with them as briefly as you did the night before."

"How? I still don't understand."

"Oh, that's easy enough to explain. If it's anything like what I know, people without the Sight can be subjected to its effects for a short while by touching someone who does. Since Sakura was holding onto your arm last night, and Mokona was sitting on Kuro-run's shoulder, you both were also able to see and hear things you otherwise would not. That is also the only reason why Mokona is allowed in this little chase. Kurogane cannot see his thief without some help."

Just as Fai said that, a particularly loud bang rumbled through he room. It was so strong that it actually dislodged a large chunk of the ceiling. It cracked and shattered as it hit the ground a few yards away from them. The sounds of all this managed to jogged Sakura from a sound sleep.

"Hn? W…What's going on?" She asked, stifling a yawn.

"Morning Sakura-chan!" Fai said brightly.

"Good Morning, Princess." Syaoran added politely.

"What was that noise?" Sakura inquired after returning their greetings.

"Oh, Daddy's just getting his morning exercise." Fai joked waving his hand, "Just a suggestion, but why don't we all move outside until he's done?"

After another piece of plaster landed dangerously close to the trio, Sakura and Syaoran eagerly agreed.

---

There was a wide field of tall grass near the house they'd taken temporary residence in. It was barely after dawn now and the sun cast a delicate glow over the moist grass and flowers.

"I couldn't see all this the night before…" Sakura said, looking around fondly.

"Why do you have a closer look for yourself?" Fai offered, "Syaoran and I will sit here. I believe he still has some more questions to ask me."

That was all too true, Syaoran's mind was completely filled with questions that probed all of last nights events. So while Sakura looked through the grass and picked some flowers, Syaoran and Fai sat on the porch and talked some more.

"What about that voice last night? Do you have any idea what or who that was?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot say anything for what that was, but it is the message that concerns me. It may have something to do with a feather in this world." Fai pondered, "Something here has it, and may be using it to make itself powerful enough to make the inhabitants believe it is a monster. That, or maybe it is a monster that has gotten more powerful because of the feather. The theories can go on and on…"

"So we know that there may be a feather here…"

"Not exactly, there is so much magic in the air that Mokona could not-"

"Syaoran! Fai! Look at this!" Sakura called suddenly. She was looking at something around her in the air, but for Syaoran's point of view he could see nothing.

"What is it?" He replied.

"You don't see them? They're beautiful!" Sakura proclaimed, holding up her hands to touch whatever his astounding phenomena was.

"I-"

"Allow me." Fai said, laying a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

They didn't gradually fade into view, nor did they appear in some kind of splendid way, they were just _there_. Some of them looked like floating dust in sunlight, some were the size of walnuts that whirred about on tiny, iridescent wings. Some were still even larger, nearly as tall as perhaps Mokona.

"What… What are they?" Syaoran asked, transfixed momentarily.

"Don't worry, they're just some inhabitants from the Invisible World. They seems as interested with us as we are with them." Fai briefly explained.

The anonymous warning from the night before was still fresh in Syaoran's mind. But the voice only made mention on one monster, not a flock of them. None the less, it was still a bit eerie to see these things swarm around the Princess. As long as that smile of hers did not fade, he would keep a safe distance and not frighten them.

"Ah, you see, even here." Fai added, he seemed to have missed the pensive stare as a few of the tiny creatures made their way towards them, keeping well out of arm's length as they watched Fai and Syaoran.

"Hello there!" said a tiny voice in Sakura's ear. She could hear the creature chattering amongst themselves, but she didn't think they would speak directly to her. Sakura strained her neck just a little to look at the small Sprite standing on her shoulder. He was rather cute, (Assuming he was in fact male) standing about two inches tall with armor made of a beetle's carapace and a spiky seedpod on his head. His tiny eyes, like a pair of black berries, looked clever and alert as he studied her pale face. His curious glance turned into a bright, cheery smile, his freckled cheeks brimming with a rosy hue.

"H-Hello…" Sakura replied slowly, "Ah… was that you?"

"Of course it was me!" The Sprite replied immediately. His little hands were poised jauntily on his hips as he watched her, "What other Sprite is brave enough to speak to a strange human, other that the Great and Mighty Toadshade?"

"Ah…."

"You aren't supposed to answer that." Toadshade added, shaking his head, "You're definitely an odd one. You and your pals over there. You don't looks like the other humans we've seen around here."

"Other humans?" Sakura asked.

"Did I stutter? A' course there are other humans around here! Just look at that big carved up tree behind you, humans always live in places like those. What kind of human doesn't know that?" Toadshade finished, peering at her curiously.

"Well, we're not from around here. We're a bit new to the area…"

"I'll say!"

"Oh… sorry, but do you think you could show us where these other humans are, Toadshade?"

The Sprite's rosy cheeks turned beet red as a frown formed on his lips. He alighted onto a pair of transparent wings and buzzed angrily around Sakura's head.

"I don't believe this!" He said, looking to the others, "A human's asking us for favors before she even introduces herself? How rude!"

"How rude!"

"Very rude!"

"Dreadfully rude!"

The other Sprites began to chorus in agreement. Sakura looked around quickly, then back to Fai and Syaoran. They were too distracted by more Sprites fluttering about them to notice.

"I-I'm sorry! Please forgive my rudeness!" Sakura said quickly, "My name is Sakura, I should have said that before, but you surprised me."

Toadshade stopped buzzing in circles almost immediately. He hovered close to the end of Sakura's nose and rested one hand on it.

"That's more like it. You're a lot more polite then I first thought."

"So polite!"

"Very polite!"

"Wonderfully polite!"

He returned to Sakura's shoulder and sat down, his left leg crossed over his right. He looked like a sunbather at the beach.

"I'd love to help ya, Sakura, but I can't bring you there right now."

"Why?" Sakura immediately inquired.

"Well, those humans are still gonna be sleeping right now, and I know how grumpy a human can get. Thimbletack told me that… and then there are other reasons too…" Toadshade responded, he seemed almost ashamed as he got to the last part.

Sakura decided not to ask about Thimbletack, and instead inquire to what these other reasons were. She had to proceed carefully as Toadshade seemed very sensitive.

"May I ask what these other reason are?"

"The elves said we shouldn't go near the big human there. He's doing something that's dangerous, and involves all the Faerie around here, everywhere! That Arthur guy, the elves say he's dangerous and if we get too close we'll be in danger! You should stay away from him too!"


End file.
